Forget Indiana Jones or the more believable hours sifting through ancient documents and then misbegotten dig sites, archeology is going 21st century.
In Egypt's northern Delta, Egyptologist Sarah Parcak is looking toward the stars. Parcak uses satellites, initially designed for use by the military, to identify potential sub-surface remains. The high-resolution satellites, with infrared and thermal capabilities, sit in orbit almost 500 kilometers above the Earth and can precisely pinpoint objects on terra firma less than a meter in diameter. The infrared light used by the satellites has longer wavelengths than visible light and thus can penetrate the earth's surface.
Sarah Parcak. Credit and Link: CNN
Use of remote-sensing technology in search of ancient sites is revolutionizing the field of archeology. In 2011, Parcak and her team announced they located 17 pyramids in addition to 1,000 tombs and 3,100 ancient settlements in a documentary for the BBC.
Space archaeologist unlocks ancient secrets By Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN
